Nico Iamaleava says ‘be ready’ is main expectation for first year at Tennessee

The future of Tennessee football arrived on campus just before the Vols’ Orange Bowl win over Clemson.

Nico Iamaleava is the highest-rated quarterback recruit to commit to Tennessee since Peyton Manning, and the expectations for him to perform well right away are prodigious. No one would be surprised if the prodigy started for Josh Heupel’s squad on day one — and Iamaleava is doing all he can to develop into a starting SEC quarterback by the first game.

“My expectation for freshman year is just to be ready,” Iamaleava said. “I’m trying to get prepared as fast as I can and be ready whenever my number’s called, and help Joe [Milton] out the best way possible I can.”

From those words, it sounds like Iamaleava is expecting to sit behind Milton for a season. Still, there is a reason Iamaleava was the No. 1 recruit in the country, per the 2023 On3 rankings, and he is fully expected to be a plug-and-play, instant-impact performer if he gets his shot.

Milton, who is entering his sixth season of college football and his third with Tennessee, is the presumed No. 1 on the depth chart unless told otherwise.

Since arriving in Knoxville, Milton has passed for 1,346 yards and has a 12-0 touchdown-to-interception ratio entering his final season of eligibility. Before that, he played for Michigan from 2018-2020 before hitting the transfer portal. 

After being forced into a starting role following Hendon Hooker‘s torn ACL, Milton helped lead the Vols to a 31-14 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl. He completed 19 of his 28 attempts (67.9 percent) for 251 yards and three touchdowns

Milton’s experience over Iamaleava in college football, and in Josh Heupel’s offense, give him the edge over his true freshman cohort. Iamaleava said that there’s been a learning curve when it comes to playing in Tennessee’s up-tempo offense, so having Milton to show him the ropes will do wonders for the young quarterback’s game in the long run.

“I’m always looking to get better and be ready for this year. It’s my job to go out there and compete and be ready when my number’s called,” he said. “Anything could happen this season, so really just being like how Joe was to Hendon last year, really, and being prepared whenever my number’s called.”

Regardless, Iamaleava’s time is coming. The first chance Tennessee fans will have to see him in action will come in three weeks when the Vols host their annual Spring Game on April 15.